Mailbox indicator



Oct. 6, 1953 A. VAN METER 2,654,534

MAIL-BOX INDICATOR Filed NOV. 21, 1950 1 VENTOR.

Patented Oct. 6, 1 953 James; Adams. Vanv Meter, Van. Nuys, Calif a signor of one-third to. William G- Van Meter Van Nuys, Calif.

Application November 21, 1950, Serial No. 196,812

- 2 Claims.

invention belongs to that general class of devices known as indicators and; relates particularly to indicators on mailboxes and thelikc.

The invention has among its objects the production of a means of the kind described, or similar means, that is simple, durable and, compact in Structure, inexpensive to. make and manufacture, dependable and eflicient in use and service, and convenient to handle and install; a device that is pleasing and attractive in appearances and very satisfactory for use whenever and wherever found applicable.

Other objects, advantages and features of this particular invention will appear from a careful perusal of the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, the preamble of these specifications, and the claims appended hereto.

Below, applicant describes one of the preferable forms of his invention in order to teach the art thereof and show how to make and use the same, but it is to be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever except as the same may be limited by the prior art. Language employed herein is not to be construed as giving any unauthorized person or organization the right to make, use and/or sell the invention herein disclosed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an ordinary rural type of mail box with the invention installed thereon;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevational view, enlarged, of a mail box showing the invention also inside elevational view;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of that shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a part shown in sectional view and taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

In rural districts, mail boxes are not generally close to the house and it becomes very exasperating during inclement weather to make a needless trip to the mail box in order to learn whether or not there is some incoming mail. Because the mail box fiag often catches, after the carrier attempts to return it to its horizontal position, he must then stop on his next trip when he may have no mail at that time to deliver. In applicant's invention, the flag or signalling means is the handle for opening or closing the door of the box, hence it is very simple and easy for anyone to readily adjust the signalling flag or means with no real efiort at all, in fact, the adjustment of the signalling means becomes auto- Y '2 matic by force of habit. It is, therefore, no trouble orextra reaching to see that the mailbox has the proper signal at all times when the flag means is attached to the door of the box and becomes the handle thereof.

The usual rural type mailbox is indicated in the drawings by the reference character I which is usually supported above ground by a stake or post, not shown. Such boxes have a hinged door 2- which is pivoted at the bottom edge thereof so that the top rounded portion of the door swings downwardly. Secured to the top of the door there is an extended bar 3 havingt-he curved portion 4 and the downwardly directed flangedlike portion 5 which is adapted to act as a fingergrip or handle. A spring bar 6 has its rearward portion securely fixed to the top of the mailbox and its forward end turned upwardly as shown at 1 to act as a push plate for the operators thumb. This bar also has a curved portion, indicated by 8, which cooperates with the curved portion 4 in order to provide a, satisfactory latch means for the mailbox.

Applicants invention lies in the signalling means which is adapted to be snugly forced onto the flange-like element 5 or to be bolted or otherwise aflixed to the door 2 so as to serve as a satisfactory handle. In this particular showing, the signalling device is held to the flange-like portion 5 by a slip-on element 9 which has side folds l0 and II that provide suitable grooves to snugly accommodate the side edges of the flangelike element 5. To this slip-on element is firmly attached a spindle I 2 which has a nut I3 threaded thereto at the distal end thereof.

Upon the spindle I 2 there is a pair of spaced collars l4 and I5 which accommodate a compression spring l6, as shown. A swing-bar I! of a signalling device has bearing upon the spindle [2 between one of the collars and a washer l8 and this swing-bar is held in position by frictional means by action of the compression spring IS.

The swing-bar I1 is twisted at its ends to provide integral flag element l9 and 20, flag element l9 may be yellow in color and the flag element 20 red. When the yellow flag-element I9 is in the upper position as shown in Figure 2, it indicates to the mailbox owner that there is some "in-coming mail in the box; and when the red flag element is in upper position, it indicates to the mailman that there is out-going mail in the box. In any event, since the flag-means serves as the handle for the door 2, it is very easy for anyone operating the mailbox to give the handle (flag-means) a slight turn for signalling purposes, and should mail be removed and the box left empty by either the owner or the carrier, the flag elements are automatically placed sidewards, that is, the swing-bar I1 is placed in a horizontal position. Obviously, the flag elements may not benecessarily rectangular. in shape, but may be of any suitable design or color in order to clearly show or indicate incoming or outgoing mail.

and modifications may be made in the details of form, style, design, materials and construction of the whole or any part of the specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof in that such changes and modifications are considered as beingwithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination rotatable indicator and handle device in'a single unit for rural type mail boxes comprising a bracket having means at one end thereof adapted to clamp onto a finger-grip projection from the door of a mail box, means on the bracket supporting a swingbar for movement in a vertical plane, means on the bracket providing positive friction for the swingbar, the swingbar having at each end a signal surface so that when the swingbar is employed as a handle to open the door of a mail box, it can simultaneously be positioned to give the proper signal.

'2. In combination, a rotatable indicator and handle device in a single unit for rural type mail 10. It is, of course, understood that various changes 4 of a'mail box it can simultaneously be turned to proper signallin position.

JAMES ADAMS VAN METER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date 708,189 Wirt Sept. 2, 1902 826,416 Forwood July 17, 1906 1,122,855 Y Chadwick Dec. 29, 1914 1,238,387 Buck Aug. 28, 1917 1,929,965 Black Oct. 10, 1933 2,498,260 Fabis Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTSv Number Country Date 394,301 France Nov. 21, 1908 51,042 Germany Dec. 11, 1911 276,191 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1927 

